Apparatus for supplying stock to tire builders



April 22 1924. A 1,491,282

A. o. ABBOTT, JR., ET AL Armu'rus Foa surname sTocx To wm. BUILDERS Filed aan. '13. 1921 s Shasta-shearV 1 TH EIR ATTORNEY April 22, 1924. 1,491,282

A. o. ABBOTT, JR., ET AL I\F`P1R.\'IUS FOR SUPPLYING` STOCK T0 TIRE BUILDERS Filed Jan. 13, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 www THEIR ATTORNEY.

April 22, 1924. 1,491,282

A. o. ABBOTT, JR., ET AL APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING STOCK To TIRE BUILDERS JAY/Iliff?.

THEIR ATTORNEY'.

Y Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADRIAN 0. ABBOTT, JB... AND CLYDE J. SMI'I'H, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO MORGAN & WRIGHT, A CORPORATION' 0F MICHIGAN.

4A PPAB @Tps Foa sUPPLYING STOCK To TIRE BUILDERS.

Application tiled January 13. 1921. SerialN'i.`436,949.`

To all' whoml it may concern.'

. Be it known that we, ADRIAN O. Anno'rr, Ji*., and CLibs J. SMITH, both citizens of the-United States, and residents of Detroit, count-y of lVayne, State of Michigan, and Detroit, county of W'a'ne, and State .of Michigan, respectively, iave'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparat-iis for Supplying Stock to Tire Buildcrs. of which the following is a full, clear, and.exact description.

This invention relates to the building of tires, and more particularly to apparatus for supplying rubberized brig-woven lor cord, to tire builders. V

Tires are. ordinarily built upon carcass formeis, either cores whose cross sections conforin'fti the interior of the tire, or collapsible drums of substantially cylindrical torni. The lire builderstands in front of the carcass former, and plies up one sheet of fabric after another, in the case of cord tires disposing the cords of alternate layers at an anglel to one anotlier. The prcsentinvention is designed especially to supply stock for building tires on collapsible drums, but iii its broad aspects comprehends supplying stock tothe core type of carcass former as well iis-the drum type.

Over prior stock magazines the present invention seeks to improve by economizing floor space with a vertical as distinguished from a horizontal or circular arrangement of sets of rolls: by relieving the operative of attention in bringinnr the new set of rolls within convenient. reaeli, a starting member only having tof be operated manually to successively present the stock roll units; by relievinlr the operative of care.in handling thc stoc with a stock feed substantially equal to the peripheral velocity of thecarcass at all times, substantially free of dis- 4tortiou or tension. and central to the work; by preventing interruption of the operative with an accessible arrangement for'replenishing stock rolls: Irv-relieving the operative of personally preventing coasting of the' rolls: and by economy of.. power with connections for driving the stock roll magazine from the same unit 'or source of power as the carcass former. These are advantages of the improved construction. and other advantages thcreotwill appear later in the detailed description of the construction.

lVith the'euibodimentof the invention illustrated in the drawings in mind, and without intention to limit the scope of the invention beyond the extent required by the prior art, the apparatus comprises endless chains between which depending hangers carrying supply and liner rolls are free to swing and maintain themselves in a vertical position. A substantially vertical Hight of the chains is provided at a point iinmediately in rear of the carcass former.'f clutch is provided ii the drive for the c'haiir,t

and associated with Athe clutch operating mechanism is a stop4 or trip that cooperates successively 'with the chain or rolls carried thereby so as to automatically disen is provided to. shift the liner roll. which is sustained by the hangers belowptlie supply roll, into contact with the rear ofthe carcass former in order to establish a friction drive for the pair of rolls. The liner strip. which is inter osed between the convolutinns of the stoc ,-is thus reeled onto the liner roll and the stocknneoiled without tension and -at. [the velocity of the'carcass. foi-mens pcriphery on which the operative'disposes it.

The invention is illustrated in the iccom-A panying drawingzin which- Figs. l and 2 are side Aand front elevations of the stock roll magazine:

Fig. 2 is an elevation of thc stock roll magazine. partly in section. from the side opposite that shown in Fig. l and shows the magazine in operative position in reaiof the carcass forme Fig. 4 is an elevation of the carcass former and its drivinfr mechanisnnthe i'raine or housing of the llatter appearing in vertical section.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the associatedY stock roll magazine and carcass former. parts being sectioned or broken away to more clearly illustrate the drive for one of a preferred form of hanger for supporting.

a pairof stock rolls showing in section on the former the construction of its hinge or pivot.

Figs. 10 and 11 are similar views of the lower end of a modifiedform of hanger.

As shown best in the side elevation and in the plan view of Fig. 5, the stock roll magazine is located immediately in rear of the carcass former.

The carcass former illustrated in the drawings is'of the collapsible drum type indicated at 1, being;r mounted on a main shaft 2 which may be driven in any suitable man ner as from a motor 3. through a b-lt or chain 4 and clutch which is coupled or uncoupled from the .source of power by shifting an arm 6'of a lever fulcrumed at 7 and having two other arms 8 and I) which are linked to treadlcs l0 and 1l respectively, the arm 8 being also pinne-:l at 12 to a band brake I3. The arrangement of the clutch operating mechanism is such that depression of thetreadle 10 throws the clutch out andthe brake on. and incidentally raises the treadle 11. thus stopping rotation of the drum 1 By depressing the -treadle 11 the .clutch is throwniin, the brake oil, and the treat-lle 10 up. thus rotating the drum 1.

At the right end of the main shaft 2is a pulley or sprocket-14 which is adapted to drive a similar pulley or sprocket 15 on a shaft 16, see Fig. 5. which is connected by bevel gears 17 to a shaft 1S joui'naled in the frame 19 at substantially right angles to the main shaft 2. Through a couplingr 19, shaft 18 is adapted todrive a co-axial shaft 20 at whose opposite endis a worm 21 in engagement with a worm wheel 22 on a shaft 23` carryingla pair of spaced and parallel `sprockets 24 for driving* chains 25 which constitute asllexible endless carrier for the supply stock. The chains pass around the sprockets 24 and around pairs of sprocketsy 2G and 27 whose supportingy shafts are suitably journaled in the side members 28 o fl'anqllpriglit frame the base 2f) of which isgadapted to rest on the; saine floor or foundation as the frame 19 of. the

. carcassjor infrii'iachine. The side members 28 of the fr; pn are v.suitably braced by spec ing tie bolts 30, and in its upper part each member is providedwwith an adjustable pillow block 31 for. taking,1r up slack iniltho chains 25.

A series of pairs or sets of stock and liner rolls are supported by the chains 25. At

suitable intervals, the pins 32 connecting the links of vthe'parallcl chains, sec Fi I's. 8 and 9, are formed with inwardly exten ing lugs 32 which :itl'ord supports for hangers 33.

A pair of these han rers 33 are hinged op o- 7u site one another. hachl hanger is provi ed at its upper extremity "with a downwardly bent portion 34 which is aportan-d to reccive the pin32 and-with an u wardly bent with a. U-

being adapted to sustain the hub 37 of a iol- 80 low cylinder or spool 38. The cylinder 'r" spool 38 may be secured to the spindle in any suitablmmanner, preferably as shown, by a combined latch and key 39 which is connected toghe tube 36', but may be sprung 85 inwardly' tn-permit removal ofthe spopl or cylinder; 'Between collars 40 and 41 on the spindle 3G .friction material 42 such as leather' orrubber is confined and a split and adjustable sleei'e 43 embracing.Ir the same 00 is provide-df with a laterally extending` iingcr 44 nt'efin the U-sha d lslot 35 of the hangen?. suitable constriction of the collar 43 coasting or too free lu'nxnngir ot' the-cyliflider or spool holder 38 may 05 Each of e hangers 33 at its lower extremity is adapted to carry. a second roll with itsfaxis. parallel to the first and at a substantially fixed distance therefrom. l00

The c vlinderand spindle of the lower rolls are preferably constructed like the upper roll. Theinlspindles may be hitched m a U-shaped s1 t in a. lient end 35" ot the hanger, as sh wn in Figs. 10 and 1l, or the 105 lower "nd (lf-each hanger may .be cut awav to receive an arm 45 which ishingzed at 46 and has pivotcd` to it a latch 47 adap'tcd -to hold the arm 45 in position and to permit it to he moved out of the way for removal of a loaded liner roll and substitution of an empty spobl at needed times.

When an operator has applied a plyof stock and cnt it oll from a great, length thereof coiled about a supply roll,- a new 5 and usually wider stock, or 1n the case of cord tircs one whose cords are oppositely inclined. nuistlbe advanced to a convenient position within the operators reach. Itis dcsirablcfthat this presentation of the next' 12 stock ply #my be accomplished with little manual ehrt und attention, and also quickly. F or this purpose the worm drive shaft 20 which operates the sprockets 24 is equipped with a clutch and. band brake 1.25.

which may he operated manually to start movement. of the chains or carrier and automatically; to stop movement thereof. A

starting; hand lever 48. son Fig. 3. weighted as indicated al 49 and fulcrumed as indi- 130 cated .at 50 has A a crank arm 51 which is loosely pinned at 52 to one end of alever .53 whose other end indicated at 54 is normally held by the action of weight 49 in the path of blocks 55, one on each of the series of lugs 32' which support thehangers 33. Intermediately the lever 53 is ulcrumed as indicated at 56 to the upper bent end of a vertically arranged rod 57 which -is yielding] supported by a coil spring 58 and a fixedy a lever 53 adjacent each chain connected together by a cross bar 53 and, having no fixed fulcro, they may be termed a floating member or lever. Intermediately, one of the rods 57 is 'loosely-connected as indicated at 60 to an arm 6l fixed to a shaft 62', Fig. 1. having two other fixed arms 63 and 64. Fig. 1` which operate the band brake 65 and the. driven member 660':` a clutch, respec -tively, the latter (clutch member) through i a conical ended shift collar 68. When the lstarting hand 67 and toggles lever 4S is depressed th'e end 54 of the lever or strip 53 is withdrawn lfrom the path of a block 55,

permitting spring 58 to raise rod 57, lever 53 and arm V61.v Through the latter, arm 61, the'clutch (whose driven member is'indicatedat 66) 1s engaged and the brake 65 relieved,whereiipon lthe `sprockets 24 move the chains or carrier' -When the ,operator takes his hand Voft' the "starting lever 4.8,y

weight 4 9 returns the `vstrip 54 to a position in the path of the next block 55. The succeeding pair of 'rolls' on arrival at the predetermined desired positioiL'thrust the 'rod 57 downward-against ,the `action of spring 58 and a resulting turningvr of the lever arm 6,1 operates the arm 63"`and 64 on. the fulcrum shaft. 62 to disengage the clutch and apply the brake.

Means are provided Vto feed the stock to the operator without tension or distortion and at a rate substantially equal the peripheral velocity of the carcass former which of course increases as the plies of -stock accumulate, the carcass former bein driven usually at a constant angular velocity. The pair of stock rolls on ,their hangers 33 having been brought to a convenient position such as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the above mentioned result is accomplished swinging the hangers 33 about their hinged support 32' so as to carry the 'lower or liner roll into engagement with the carcass former or building drum. outwardly ezt-- tending lugs 69 on the hangers 33 are adapted to enter channeled members formed by oppositely curved [langes 70 on the up er ends` of two levers 71. each of which is 1lcrumed on a rod 72 and urged in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 by a tension sprin 73 connected to it at 74. The liner-rolls ifting-Iever 7l is adapted to be moved from the dotted to the solid line posiabutment or lug 59. There is tions shown in Fig. crumed at 76 and having its 76 linked as indicated at 77 3 by a. treadle 75 fulupn ht arm to t e lever '71; A latch 78 is loosely pinned to a long lug 79 -and its undercut end 80 is adapte to-engage the extremity of the treadle arm 76' when the liner-roll-shftin -lever 71 has Yat-a-time movement of the chains 25 is entered by the lugs 69 on the`next pair 0f hangers 33 and thus automatically establish operativeA connection with the shifting lever 71. A new pair of supply rolls having been moved `to the position shown in Fig 3, the latch 78 is disengaged bv up- I ward movement of a pin 82 against the action of its retract-ing spring 83 which reacts againstl the lug 84 integral with the treadle arm 76. The pin or plunger 82 is moved upwardly through a small bell cra'nk -lever 85 pivoted on the treadle arm 76 as indicated at 86 and linked as indicated at 87 to an auxiliary .treadle 8S which is fulcrumed on the accessible end of the treadle as shown. By depressing the front end of this auxiliary treadle, the pin or plunger 82 is ositively lifted, and the main treadle 75, w ich has been held depressed, is thus freed so that the link 77 ne longer prevents movement of the liner roll lifting lever 71 in a direction carrying its upper end towards the carcass former or building drum which automatically ensues through the action of the spring 73, the accessible treadle end moving up.

The upperl rolls on the hangers 33 have the stock 4coiled Vthereabout with a ply of bareV fabric interposed between contiguous convolu'tions for the purpose of preventin their adherence to-one another. The coi ing of these stock and liner plies is not usually done with precision. And it is necessary to ply the stock up in forming the.

gage the opposite` sidesV of a `flange 94 formed on .the spindles coil spring 95 normally a disengaged position as shown in solid linesv ini Fig. 5. By pushing on the crank 92 the flange 94 on a spindle 36 muy be engaged and the roll shifted to the right or left to maintain the center line of the ply being manipulated under the pointer 89.

36 of the rolls.. A holds the crank in and no further explanation is thought necessai-y. lt is noted, however, that the starting haud levcr 48 which governs the drive for the chains 25 inav be held depressed and one or more pai.s Tof the stock rolls moved past the tire building drum without being stoppcd This feature enables any one exhausted supply roll to be quickly brought to an accessible position for re moval and replaceiiieut with a loaded spool.

lVhilc the foregoing relates to the preferred embodiment of'the invention it will be obvious that many changes may be iliade. without departure from the uiulerlving 'principles thereof. The direct friction drive of the liner rolls is preferable, but clearly the saine end may be accomplished indirectly by interposed rollers geared or otherw'ise connected to the liner reel. To h both the tire building uiachine or ca former and the endless flexible carrier a common source of power is desirable independent motors or belt drives may y utilized to actuate the carcass former and the endless flexible carrier or chain. 'hile it is preferred to support. the -liner reels on han ers with the supply rolls,it is within the broad principle of the present invention to mount the liner reel directly on the chains and move the latter through a spe cies of slack take-up nieclianislii so as to bring the liner reel into frictional driving relation with the carcass former or tire building drum. llf'hile it is preferred to arrange the chains with relatively close and parallel vertical flights as such arrangement econoinizes floor space, where such economy is not necessary it will be obvious that the sprockets, which support and actuate tho chains constituting the carrier, may be variously disposed to cause the chains to travel in variouslyr shaped paths but preferablyr with at least one flight. thereof contiguous the carcass 4former.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. Apparatus for supplying stock to tire building machines including in combination, means for cari-yinrA a plurality 'of rolls, means for moving the said means by power, and means operated automatically by thc r first mentioned means for disconnecting the power drive and stopping movement. of the same when the rolls arrivoA successively at a predetermined position. f

2. Apparatus forsupplying stock -to'tire building machines including-in combination, means for carryin a plurality of rolls, means for moving t ic said means by power, means operated automaticallyby the first. mentioned means for stopping movement of the saine when the rolls arrive successively at a predetermined position, said last named means including a floating lever, a clutch, andclutch operating connections governed by movement of the floating lever.

3. Apparatus for suppl 'ing stock to tire building machines inclu ing in combination, endless chains, sprockets for supporting and actuating said chains in spacedparallelism, means on said chains for supporting rolls, manually operable means for couplingat least one of the s rockets to a sourcr` of power and moving t ie chains, and means for arresting movement of the chains' including a trip co-acting with the chain when a roll arrives at a predetermined p0- sition.

4. Apparatus for supplying stock to tile building machines inclu ing in combination,

' endless chains, s rockets`for su porting and actuating-said c iains in space parallelism.

` means on said chains for supporting rolls,

manually operable means for coupling at leastone o named means including a trip cofacting with the chain, a clutch, a brake, and connectionsbetweep the trip and the clutch and brake whereby the power drive of the chain may be discontinued andA its movement halted. Y

45. Apparatus forpsuppl ing s'tockfto tire builders including in com ination, an endless flexible. carrier and- `a plurality of roll supports hinged to saidi carrier, each of said supports being shaped to sustain a plu# rality of rolls a xed distance apart.

6. Apparatus for supplying stock to tire builders including a' carrier, a plurality of devices vhinged to said carrier and provided with means to sustain a, plurality of rolls', in combination with .a circular and revoluthe sprockets toa .source of.v utapower and moving the "chain, said last ble carcass former, and means for rotating from the revoluble carcass former one of the rolls on a hinged device whereby the other roll thereon mavA be uncoiled and stocks ing iti. f. 1

7. Apparatus for supplying stock to tire builders including;r a carrier. a plurality of devices hinged to said carrier and provided with means tosustain a plurality of rolls, in combination with a circular and revolublc carcass former. and means for moving a roll supported by said ,device into di; rect engagement with the rcvoluble carcass former for rotation thereby. i f

8. Apparatus for supplying stock to tire builders including an endless'tlexible carrier arranged substantially upright and carrying a plurality of rolls, in coifibina;4 tion with an annular carcass former in proximity thereto. and means for establish-- ing a friction drive of any pair of said rolls by said carcass former.

9. Apparatus for supplying stock to tire I l n applied to 4the builder without stretch leo builders including in combination, a revolu- .ble carcass former, means for carrying a. pluralityof supply-and liner rolls associated m pairs, means for moving a pair of the rolls to'a position adjacent the carcass former, and means for driving any one of the pairs of rolls by traction of one of them against the carcass former while located in proximity thereto.

10. Apparatus for supplying stock to tire builders including in combination, a cir cular carcass fern-1er, means for rotating the same,a flexible endless carrier adjacent the carcass former, and means for moving it, members movably sustained by said carrier for supporting a series of pairs of supply and liner rolls, and means for moving the members to establish a frictional driving,r relation between oneof the rolls and a carformer.

1v1. Apparatus for sup builders including in com carcass former, means for a flexible endless carrier cass former and means for bers movably sustained by lying stock to tire ination, a circular rotating the same, adjacent the carmoving it, |nemsaid carrier for supporting a series of pairs of supply and means for moving the members to establish a frictional driving relation between one of the rolls and acarcass former, said last named means includingr a device with. which the roll supporting members automatically establish operative connection.

12. Apparatus for supplyingr stock to tire builders including in combination, a circular carcass former, means for rotating the same, a flexible endless carrier adjacent the carcass former and means -for moving it, members movably sustained by said carrier for supporting a series of pairs of supply and liner rolls, and means for moving the members to establish a frictional driving relation between one of the rolls and a carcass former, said last named means including a channeled device, and lugs projecting from said members adapted to engage and disengage themselves with and from the channe ed device.

13. Apparatus for supplying stock to tire builders including in combination, a circular carcass former, means for rotating the same` a flexible endless carrier adjacent the carcass former and means for moving it, members movably sntaincd by said carrier `for supporting pairs of supply and liner rolls, meansfor moving the members to cstablish a frictional driving relation hetween one. of the rolls and a carcass former, said last nannedlmeans including a device with which thc roll supporting members automatically establish operative connection, and a manually operable. lever carrying said device.

I4. Apparatus for supplying stock to tire lliner rolls, and

' moving an builders including in' combination, a circplar 'carcass forincr,.1neans for rotating the saine, a fiexible endless carrier adjacent the carcass former and meansfor moving it, lilcinbers movably sustained by said carrier for supporting pairs of supply and liner rolls, means for moving the members to establish a frictionaldriving relation between one of the rolls and a carcass former, said last named-meansincluding a device with-which the roll supporting members automatically establish operative connection, operable lever carrying said device, a spring yleldingly urging said lever toward the carcass 'former, and a latch for holding said lever awayfrom the carcass former and in a position where the device may he operatively connected u'ith the member.

15. Tire stock supplying apparatus including in roml'iinatiou an endless flexible carrienhangers hinged to said carrier for supporting stock and liner rolls in pairs a substantially fixed distance apart. means for moving an stopping said carrier to bring the pairs of rolls successively to a predetermined position, and means for rotating one of said rolls ,to reel up a liner strip and uncoil the stock from the` other roll without subjecting it to tension.

16. Tire stock supplying apparatus including in combination an endless flexible carrier, hangers hinged to said carrier for supporting stock and liner rolls in pairs a substantially fixed distance apart. means for stopping said carrier to bring the pairs of rolls successively to a predetermined position, and means for rotating one of said rolls to rcel up a liner strip and uncoil the stock from the other roll without subjecting it to tension, said hangers being constructed to demountubly supportl the rolls. l

17. Tire stock supplying ap aratus includingin combination an end ess flexible carrier, hangers hinged to said carrier for supporting stock and liner rolls in pairs a substantially fixed distance apart. means for moving and stopping said carrier to bring the pairs of rolls successively to a predetermined position, means for rotating one of said rolls to rcel up a liner strip and uncoil the stock from the other roll without subjecting it to tension, and'nieans for aitially shifting rolls supportedsb f the hangers to permit uncoiling the stock in a definite path.

1H. Tire stock supplying apparatus including in combination an endless flexible carrier consisting of a. plurality of chains, sprockets for supporting und moving said chains. hangers hinged on said chains oppo-` site one another in pairs` stock and liner rolls supported horizontally between the pairs of hangers, means for drivin; r at leastone of said sprockets, and means for stopping the a manually,

lli

sprocket drive when the nextV- succeeding pair of rolls reach a predetermiped position.

19. Tire stock supplying apparatus including in combination an endless flexible carrier consisting of a plurality of chains,

sirockets for supporting and ,moving said c xains, hangers hinged on said'hains opposite oneanother impairs, stock and liner rolls supported horizontally between the pairs of hangers, means for driving atleast one of said sprockets, and means operated automati'cally by the arrival of thc'ncxt pair of rolls at a predetermined position to disengage the sprocket drive. fn

`2O. Apparatus forspplyingst-ock to tire lmildexsincluding in combination, a carrier, a plurality of pals of hangers hinged to said carrier, and supply vand liner rolls on cach. pair of 'said hangers, saidn'olls being shiftable axially.

21. Apparatus for supplying'stock to tire builders including in combination` acarrier,

` a plurality of pairs of hangers liinged to said carrier, supply and liner rolls on each pair of said hangers, and means for Bleventing too free rotation of the su ply ro 22. Apparatus for supplying sbock to tire builders including in combination, a carrier, a plurality of pairs of hangers liinged\to said carrier, supply 'and liner rolls on each airvof said hangers, and means olzuoperating with. the hangers and frictionally opposing rotation of the supply rolls.

23. A stock roll magazine having in coinbination, a carrier composed of spaced endless chains, hangers hin d thereto o posite one another in pairs, ro'l s demountably su ported by said hangers, each of said ro s iaving a spindlev shiftable ven dwise and transversely vof the hangers, and a spool or shell removably sustained by the spindle.

Signed at Detroit', county of Wayne, State of Michigan, thisV 31st day of Decenr ber, 1920.

- ADRIAN O. ABBOTT,'Jn.

CLYDE J SMITH. 

